Tag: jackets

Caleb Caudle’s Casual Country Combos

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Having grown up between the mountains and the sea in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Caleb Caudle would have had a difficult time not developing a deep love and appreciation for the great outdoors. The singer/songwriter’s love of nature is evident in both his sound and his style. Caleb’s style is relaxed, rugged, and, on occasion, a little refined. At any given moment, he is appropriately dressed to ride off on a horse or, with the quick change of a jacket, ready for dinner at an upscale restaurant.

The rugged style breakdown:

  • Textiles, like denim or chambray
  • Work-style leather boots that have acquired a beautiful patina over the years (Pro Tip: look for oil tanned leather, and be sure to condition once a year.)
  • Classic wide-brimmed hat — nothing too cowboy
  • A substantial jacket
  • Worn-in denim

For the most part, Caleb sticks to his well-fitted standards, while keeping it fresh with jackets and accessories. Living a good portion of the year out of a suitcase, he tends to favor clothing with consistency, durability, and adaptability. Nine times out of 10, you can count on seeing him wearing broken-in denim jeans, Red Wing Iron Rangers, a blue button-up (most likely denim), a custom Havstad, some assortment of silver jewelry, and a jacket you’ll most likely want to steal. Caleb’s latest obsession is the one-of-a-kind handmade statement jackets by Manuel Couture. This golden mustard jacket with black embroidery fits him like a glove, even though it was taken right off of the rack (which is very unusual).


Manuel has been creating beautiful pieces here in Nashville, Tennessee, for celebrities and musicians since the 1970s. A Manuel jacket is the perfect piece to instantly elevate an outfit with little to no effort.

By the way: You don’t have to be a musician or celebrity to wear a Manuel piece.

Here are a few styling tips from maker himself:

  • Keep the jacket unbuttoned to loosen up the look. Keep it casual.
  • Although the jackets are expensive, don’t let that stop you from wearing them to everyday events. Wear your jacket anywhere and everywhere! Don’t be afraid to make a statement.


Manuel’s jackets can be paired with a nice tailored shirt for a polished look or with a V-neck shirt to keep it casual.

I love the look of Manuel’s glitzy jackets combined with Caleb’s rugged standards. The combination is a 100 percent Casual Rhinestone Cowboy.

A special thanks to Caitlin Arabis, Manuel, and Marathon Village for working with us.

Amanda Shires Flips Her Lid

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The only place I would ever call home, outside of the Lone Star State, would be Tennessee. Sure, one is in the South and has the best fried green tomatoes and hot chicken. The other is in the West and has breakfast burritos and endless amounts of Topo Chico (if you don’t know, now you do), but there is definitely a common thread between these two states when it comes down to the people, music, and style.

Being the clothing junkie that I am, one of my style connections between Texas and Tennessee is the love of hats and boots. (We will save boots for another day.) Much like a graphic tee, a hat can tell you a lot about a person without spelling it out. With the switch of a hat, you can take your look from Doll to Outlaw, and vice versa. (Speaking of Outlaws … any fellow hat lovers crushing on the Waylon-inspired collaboration between Stetson and Midnight Rider? I can’t wait to get my hands on the Lash Stetson.) That’s why I never leave home without one on my head, in my car, or stuffed in a bag.

One of my most-favorite style secrets is my hats. It’s especially great if you are a traveler, like me. You would be surprised at how different your look will change based on a few items. When I pack, I am often limited to one bag so I have to be mindful of what I pack. This isn’t such a bad thing — who wants to lug around a ton of stuff anyway? In my bag I put my favorite hat, a pair of boots to compliment the hat, one pair of denim, a jacket (denim or leather, depending on season), and I fill the rest with various top options.

Amanda Shires is one of my favorite people to travel with and she happens to have a killer hat collection. Also from Texas, she’s a lover of quality hats like the Stetson, and is always introducing me to new hat makers and designers. When I met up with Amanda a couple of weeks ago, she was rocking an awesome, wide-brimmed hat from White’s Mercantile. What really set the hat apart for me was the thin gold metal hatband. Needless to say, this lead to a fun afternoon of trying on the Mercantile's great selection of hats. The two beautiful hats shown in the photos are James (brown) by Janessa Leone and the Floppy Brim Fedora by Rag and Bone (black). Amanda wears them with some of her favorite Midnight Rider t-shirts. 

Grab your best friend and go try on some fun hats. Pick something you wouldn’t normally go for. Maybe that means a larger brim or brown versus black. I promise you’ll walk away with a big smile and rocking a new style. I’m interested to know where you are finding your awesome hats. Let us know!

Griffin House Goes Back to (Fashion) Basics

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When you find yourself in a wardrobe bind and just can’t get into a groove with anything you put on, take it back to the basics and remember the golden third-piece rule. Haven’t heard of the third-piece rule yet? No problem. Start with your favorite bottom and top combo (sorry, shoes don’t count), then add one extra article of clothing to your outfit — like a jacket, vest, blazer, or sweater. If you are not confident with your layering capabilities — or if you live in a city that’s 80+ degrees year-round — try throwing on your favorite accessory like a hat, shades, bandana, or necklace to achieve a more unified polished look.

I’m not sure why that third item locks it in, but utilizing the rule will help anchor a look. It truly takes your outfit from dud to stud. Some of my golden third pieces include bandanas, leather jacket, denim jacket, flannel button downs, and of course hats. Can't go wrong with a hat. Note for the ladies: If none of those items are in your closet, start exploring this style guide by layering with a statement necklace or stacking your jewelry in an interesting way.

Griffin House has been killing the third-piece rule lately. Sometimes just dipping his toes in with his third piece being shades and sometimes getting adventurous with adding fourth items, we dig his style.

We met up the other day to visit some of his favorite places around town, including Martin’s BBQ. While hopping around town discussing local shops, music, books, and family, I captured Griffin rocking his third-piece style in a few Billy Reid items from the Spring Collection. (And you can capture Griffin rocking his musical style on his new album, So On and So Forth.)

Shades as a minimalist third piece

On days nothing more than the basics is necessary, Griffin keeps it simple, utilizing his staple shades as his third piece.

Jacket as a third piece

Recycling an outfit worn previously in the week can feel and look fresh by adding a light jacket.

Change up your standard patterns! Light jackets are a great layer to throw on while exploring new shirt patterns. How good is this Wills Jacket from Billy Reid? Because of its light weight and beautiful rubber color, it is the perfect Jacket to have on hand this Spring.

Hat as a fourth piece

Once you have the golden third-piece rule nailed down, venturing into a fourth article won’t be so intimidating.

What I enjoy about Griffin’s style is his ability to explore new ways of wearing an article of clothing. I also like that his style changes with his mood and he doesn’t corner himself into a specific style. It’s easy to get comfortable with one style and stick with what you know. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and let your style reflect all sides of your personality.

The next time you find yourself standing in front of a mirror unable to figure out why your outfit feels incomplete, remember the third-piece rule.